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Security alliance in crisis: Germany's fight against hybrid threats!
On February 16, 2025, an event on Germany's internal and external security took place at the UniBw Munich, moderated by Prof. Masala.
Security alliance in crisis: Germany's fight against hybrid threats!
On February 16, 2025, an important side event of the University of the Bundeswehr Munich (UniBw M) took place in the Literaturhaus Munich. Under the motto “Germany’s next stress test: The nexus between domestic and international security”, top-class experts discussed the interfaces between Germany’s internal and external security. Prof. Carlo Masala moderated the event, which was inaugurated by the President of UniBw M, Prof. Eva-Maria Kern. She welcomed the participants, including prominent personalities from the Bundeswehr, politics, science and business.
The participants included Vice Admiral Thomas Daum, Inspector of Cyber and Information Space, Charlotte Knobloch, President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, and Brigadier General Thomas Hambach, Commander of the Bavarian State Command. A central theme of the discussion was improving military defense capabilities and protecting democracy. Prof. Kern also announced the signing of a “Memorandum of Understanding” (MOU) that establishes UniBw M as an “Academic Partner of the Munich Security Conference”.
Hybrid warfare and cybersecurity
A significant aspect of the discussion was hybrid warfare, a topic that has become more relevant since Russia's illegal attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Insiders like Lieutenant General Bodemann pointed out weak points in the interaction between internal and external security. He particularly emphasized the legal uncertainties when dealing with drone overflights over Bundeswehr facilities, which is particularly important in the context of hybrid warfare.
Hybrid warfare is increasingly perceived as a threat through cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns and other non-military means. This form of war attempts to systematically destabilize the defender without crossing the threshold into a classic military conflict. As the discussion at the event showed, Germany's dependence on solid cybersecurity and the need for concrete measures are essential.
CSOC highlights that cyber attacks in particular have increased in the wake of the Ukraine conflict. These began to take shape before the invasion, when data deletion and DDoS attacks destabilized Ukrainian government agencies and critical infrastructure. At the same time, CERT-UA reported on phishing campaigns by Belarusian hackers that specifically targeted military personnel.
Reactions and outlooks
Franziska Reich, who also took part in the event, called for more intensive communication from the government to raise awareness of hybrid threats, especially from Russia. She praised the detailed “Operations Plan for Germany”. Florian Hahn, on the other hand, saw the announcement of the turning point as a missed opportunity and warned of a security policy vacuum.
The event attracted a wide audience from various sectors, including representatives from politics, business and universities. For those interested, the entire discussion was streamed live and on the UniBw M. YouTube channel made available.
These insights from the event and current developments show how important it is to evaluate and adapt security strategies in order to effectively meet the challenges of hybrid warfare. The future collaboration brought to life by the MOU could play a crucial role in this.